Actuator for a rear panel on a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an actuator for a rear panel ( 4 ), on a motor vehicle, for a lid ( 3 ) on a boot ( 2 ) and a convertible roof, which moves from a position covering the cabin of the vehicle to a position in which it is stored in the boot ( 2 ), said roof comprising at least one rear roof part ( 5 ). The above comprises a panel support connected to the vehicle chassis ( 1 ) by pivots, such that said panel ( 4 ) moves from an open position to one of two closed positions, means displacing said panel ( 4 ) relative to the support body, elastic retainers for said panel ( 4 ) in the direction of the lid ( 3 ) and stops ( 13, 14 ) between-said panel ( 4 ) and said rear piece ( 5 ) of the roof when the above is in the closed position.

The present invention concerns a device for controlling a rear panel ofa motor vehicle, and more particularly of a motor vehicle provided witha rear boot, a lid for the boot, and a roof which can be folded from aposition where it covers the vehicle cabin to a position where it isstored in the rear boot, the said roof comprising at least one rear roofpart.

Such vehicles are known provided with a roof which can be folded intotheir rear boot.

This roof can in particular consist of a plurality of rigid roof partsable either to close off the vehicle cabin like a coupé or saloon or tobe stored in the rear boot in order to form a cabriolet from it.

These vehicles are also provided with a rear panel joining the top partof the rear seat back rests to the front end of the boot lid.

Various proposals have already been made for retracting this panel whenthe roof passes from one position to another so as to leave clear apassage for the roof elements.

The problem which is posed is that of the interposing of the rear edgeof the rear part of the roof between the rear arm of the panel and thefront edge of the boot lid when the roof is in its closure positionwhere it covers the vehicle cabin.

This is because, in this position, the thickness of the rear edge of therear part of the roof occupies a certain longitudinal space so that itis necessary to retract part of the longitudinal bulk of the rear panelwhen the roof is in the closed position.

The present invention aims to mitigate these drawbacks.

To this end, the first object of the invention is a device forcontrolling a rear panel of a motor vehicle provided with a rear boot, alid for the said boot, and a roof which can be folded from a position inwhich it covers the vehicle cabin to a position in which it is stored inthe rear boot, the said roof comprising at least one rear roof part,characterised by the fact that it comprises on at least one of the sidesof the vehicle:

-   -   a panel support member connected to the vehicle chassis by        pivoting means so that the said panel passes, by means of a        pivoting of the said support member, from an open position in        which the said panel is substantially vertical and in which it        leaves clear a passage for the said roof, to one of two closed        positions where the said panel extends substantially        horizontally in a position of closure of the said passage        between the chassis and the front edge of the lid of the said        rear boot in the first closed position, and between the chassis        and the rear edge of the rear part of the roof in the second        closed position;    -   means of moving the said rear panel in translation with respect        to the said support member;    -   means of elastic return of the said panel with respect to the        said support member in the direction of the said lid; and    -   means of abutment between the said panel and the said rear part        of the roof when the latter is in the closed position.

It will be understood that, because of this translation movement withrespect to the support member, the total longitudinal bulk of the panelis reduced, thus providing sufficient space for housing the rear edge ofthe rear part of the roof.

In a first embodiment, the pivoting means are formed by a transverserotation shaft fixed with respect to the chassis.

In a second embodiment, the pivoting means are formed by two articulatedarms connected to the chassis.

A second object of the invention is a vehicle comprising such a device.

A description will now be given by way of non-limiting example of twoparticular embodiments of the invention with reference to theaccompanying schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of the rear part of a vehicleaccording to the invention, with the roof folded in the rear boot andthe panel in a first closure position, according to a first embodimentof the pivoting means;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the panel in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the roof in the positionof closure of the vehicle cabin and the rear panel in a second closureposition;

FIG. 4 is a view in longitudinal section of the rear part of a vehicleaccording to the invention, with the roof folded in the rear boot andthe panel in a first closure position, according to a second embodimentof the pivoting means;

FIG. 5 is a view along the section V—V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, with the panel in the open position;and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6, with the roof in the positionof closure of the vehicle cabin and the rear panel in a second closureposition.

In the figures, the directions towards the front and towards the rear ofthe vehicle are designated respectively by the arrows AV and AR.

The vehicle depicted in the drawings comprises a chassis 1, a rear boot2 closed by a lid 3, a rear panel 4, and a folding roof comprising arear part 5.

The roof can be folded between two extreme positions: a closure positionin which it covers the vehicle cabin, and a position in which it isstored in the rear boot 2 of the said vehicle.

This vehicle comprises in general terms:

-   -   a member supporting the said panel 4 connected to the chassis 1        of the vehicle by pivoting means;    -   means of moving the said rear panel 4 in translation with        respect to the said support member;    -   means of elastic return of the said panel 4 with respect to the        said support member in the direction of the said lid 3, and    -   stop means between the said panel 4 and the said rear part 5 of        the roof when the latter is in the closed position.

In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 7, the support member isformed by a runner 6. The panel 4 is able to move in translation withrespect to the said runner 6 by means of lugs 7 and 8 formed on the saidpanel 4, each provided with a roller 9, 10.

A spring 11 connected by one of its ends to the rear lug 8′ of the panel4, and by its other end to an extension 12 of the runner 6, has thefunction of exerting a return force on the panel 4 with respect to therunner 6 in the direction of the lid 3.

In addition, stop means comprising the rear extension 13 of the panel 4,and a buffer 14, are provided so as to allow the locking of the panel 4against the rear part 5 of the roof when the latter is in the closedposition. The front edge of this rear part 5 comprises a hollow in whichthe buffer 14 can engage in order to afford the centring, guiding andlocking of the panel 4.

A description is now given, in relation to the figures, of the variouspositions of the panel 4, intended to allow passage of the roof from itsstorage position in the rear boot 2 to its closure position in which itcovers the cabin, and this according to two embodiments of the pivotingmeans of the said panel 4.

According to a first embodiment, illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 3, thepivoting means of the panel 4 are formed by a transverse rotation shaft15 fixed with respect to the chassis 1.

When the roof is stored inside the boot 2 (FIG. 1), the panel 4 is in afirst closed position. In this position, the panel 4 extendssubstantially horizontally between the chassis 1 and the front edge 16of the lid 3 of the rear boot 2, the front part 17 of the said panel 4being situated below the rear part 18 of the chassis 1.

In addition, in this position, the return spring 11 is arranged so as tohold the panel 4 in its most retracted position, that is to say itsposition closest to the front edge 16 of the lid 3 of the boot 2. Theroller 10 is consequently in abutment against the rear part of therunner 6.

When the roof emerges from the boot 2 (FIG. 2), the lid 3 of the boot 2opens and the panel 4 passes into its open position in which it issubstantially vertical. This passage takes place by pivoting of therunner 6 about the rotation shaft 15, which causes the tilting of thepanel 4 towards the front of the vehicle.

Consequently, in this open position, the panel 4 releases a passage forthe roof.

When the roof arrives at a minimum in an intermediate position (notshown), that is to say when the rear part 5 of the roof is notcompletely in the closed position, the panel 4 in an open position tiltstowards the rear of the vehicle, by pivoting of the runner 6 about therotation shaft 15.

Then, when the rear part 5 of the roof is in the closed position (FIG.3), that is to say when the roof covers the vehicle cabin, the panel 4passes into its second closed position, in which it extendssubstantially horizontally between the chassis 1 and the rear edge ofthe rear part 5 of the roof.

To this end, the panel 4 comes into abutment on the rear part 5 of theroof, by means of the stop means 13, 14. These stop means afford thecentring, guiding and locking of the panel 4.

The panel 4 then slides in the runner 6 forwards, the front part 17 ofthe said panel 4 coming to be housed under the rear part 18 of thechassis 1.

In this position, the return spring 11 is completely extended.

According to the second embodiment, illustrated by FIGS. 4 to 7, thepivoting means are formed by two articulated arms 19, 20 connectedfirstly to the chassis 1 by two rotation shafts 21, 22 transverse to thevehicle, and on the other hand to the runner 6 by two transverserotation shafts 23, 24 integral with this runner.

When the roof is stored inside the boot 2 (FIG. 4), the panel 4 is inits first closed position, in which it extends substantiallyhorizontally between the chassis 1 and the front edge of the lid 3 ofthe rear boot 2, the front part 17 of the said panel 4 being situatedabove the rear part 18 of the chassis 1.

In this position, the return spring 11 is arranged so as to hold thepanel 4 in its most retracted position, that is to say its positionclosest to the front edge 16 of the lid 3 of the boot 2. Owing to thepresence of the stop means 13 and 14, the roller 10 is not in abutmentagainst the rear part of the runner 6.

When the roof emerges from the boot 2 (FIG. 5), the lid 3 of the boot 2opens and the panel 4 passes into its open position in which it issubstantially vertical. This passage takes place by pivoting of the twoarms 19, 20, which causes the movement of the runner 6 and consequentlythat of the panel 4. The front part 17 of the panel 4 then tiltsupwards, whilst its rear part 25 tilts downwards.

In this open position, the panel 4 therefore leaves clear a passage forthe roof.

When the roof arrives at a minimum in an intermediate position (notshown), that is to say when the rear part 5 of the roof is notcompletely in the closed position, the panel 4 in the open positiontilts towards the rear of the vehicle by pivoting of the two arms 19,20. This pivoting in fact causes the downward tilting of the front part17 of the panel 4, and the upward tilting of its rear part 25.

Then, when the rear part 5 of the roof is in the closed position (FIG.6), that is to say when the roof covers the vehicle cabin, the panel 4passes into its second closed position, in which it extendssubstantially horizontally between the chassis 1 and the rear edge ofthe rear part 5 of the roof. To this end, the panel 4 comes intoabutment on the rear part 5 of the roof, by means of the stop means 13,14. The panel 4, held by the return spring 11, then slides in the runner6 forwards, the front part 17 of the said panel 4 coming to be housed onthe rear part 18 of the chassis 1.

1. A device for controlling a rear panel (4) of a motor vehicle providedwith a rear boot (2), a lid (3) for said boot (2), and a roof which canbe folded from a position in which it covers the vehicle cabin to aposition in which it is stored in the rear boot (2), said roofcomprising at least one rear roof part (5), characterised by the factthat it comprises on at least one of the sides of the vehicle: a panelsupport member connected to the vehicle chassis by pivoting means sothat said panel passes, by means of a pivoting of said support member,from an open position in which said panel is substantially vertical andin which it leaves clear a passage for said roof, to one of two closedpositions where said panel extends substantially horizontally in aposition of closure of said passage between the chassis and the frontedge (16) of the lid (3) of said rear boot in the first closed position,and between the chassis and a rear edge of the rear part (5) of the roofin the second closed position; means of moving said rear panel (4) intranslation with respect to said support member; means of elastic returnof said panel (4) with respect to said support member in the directionof said lid (3); and means of abutment (13, 14) between said panel (4)and said rear part (5) of the roof when the latter is in the closedposition.
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterised by the factthat the pivoting means are formed by a transverse rotation shaft (15)fixed with respect to the chassis (1).
 3. A device according to claim 1,characterised by the fact that the pivoting means are formed from twoarticulated arms (19, 20) connected to the chassis (1).
 4. A motorvehicle, characterised by the fact that it comprises a device accordingto claim 1.